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by panther



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-28 09:52:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2727935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panther/pseuds/panther
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter finds himself outside the Weasley home looking for shelter. He means to stay a day or two and then he meets the lonely Percy Weasley and decides to stay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home

It takes Peter weeks to reach the Weasley's home. He stays there because they are magical and he is too tired to go on. He does not expect to stay there long. He does not expect to find a comfortable life and home there. Most people would see a rat and run screaming but the boy, Percy, seems utterly fascinated. Warily, Peter allows himself to be picked up and petted. His paw is still tender from where he cut off his finger and the boy fusses over it and takes him inside before calling on his mother. It is not that Peter is afraid because he is sure that Molly Weasley would merely throw him outside but everything hurts from his journey and he doesn't _want_ to be thrown out or smacked with a broom of all things. To his shock, Molly Weasley also fusses over him and immediately starts consulting a book on how to help his wound. Percy is instructed to find some ham and cheese from the fridge and Peter relishes the meal. Molly eventually taps his paw with her wand and he yelps as it stings. He does feel a little better though, even though the spell is for animals and does not heal him perfectly.

"Can we keep him? I wanted a pet but you said money was...I would like to keep him mum, please?"

Molly studies him carefully and Peter fidgets under her gaze. He did not have a plan before Halloween. Well, he did but it did not involve his Master being defeated by the child he delivered to him. Life as a pet suddenly seems like a very good idea indeed. He can bide his time and see how things play out while being looked after and feeling safe. He knows that Sirius has gone to Azkaban and James is dead. Remus will no doubt go mad with grief, at least for a time, so he would be safe here. There is no one to tell his secret and even if Remus did he is a werewolf and no one would believe him now that Peter is being hailed as a war hero. It makes him feel guilty in a way. He is, after all, only an animagus because of Remus and then because he got help from James and Sirius. That is all in the past though. He has to look out for his own future now. 

"I don't know, Percy. A rat?"

"He seems nice! He has not bit me and he is hurt. I will look after him mum, I will! He won't need a lot of food either!"

"Well, it is true he could eat scraps and...well we could scrape together the money for a cage at least.."

" _Please_!" The desperation in the boy's voice surprises Peter. He knows that the Weasleys are not well off but for this boy to be so desperate to have him as a pet, with his messed up coat from travelling and his missing finger. It makes him feel for the boy and he wishes he can stay just as much for Percy as for himself. 

"Well...take him up to your room for now and if he does not run off then we will speak to your father about it when he comes home ok?"

"Oh _thanks_ mum." Percy explains before throwing himself at his mother who chuckles. The boy is a little rough with Peter but then he had expected a broom so he does not mind. The house is tall and winding and certainly held together by magic. Arthur Weasley had never struck Peter as powerful but he must be to hold this lot together, but then again Molly was a Prewitt and that makes her dangerous too. If Peter even suspects they are on to him he will need to flee. 

The boy pops him down on his bed and then throws himself down beside him, pushing his glasses up his nose and beaming. "Well this is my room! You are going to need a name. What abooooout, Scabbers!"

Oh Merlin no. Peter squeaks in protest and Percy takes it as approval. "Stay there ok? I'm going to clear you space for when we get a cage. Dad won't say no. Dad never says no. Oh, this is going to be so _great_. See, Bill and Charlie have each other and then the twins and then Ron and Ginny but then there is just me so...it will be great to have a pet for myself."

Peter feels a little guilty then. He is not a pet. He is using Percy but he thinks he goes a little way to making it up to him by not investigating the bed or looking around too much. He stays still and lies down and appears normal. Piles of books get moved and then a few jumpers, perhaps a dressing gown. 

"There! You can live there! We just need a cage." Percy explains, rounding on Peter and throwing himself on the bed beside him. The bed of the mattress makes Peter bounce too but he keeps himself quiet. "You and me, we're going to be best friends!"


End file.
